Howard W. French: The Second Emancipation

TPL and Toronto Metropolitan University present acclaimed journalist and author Howard French in conversation with Sanjay Ruparelia at the Toronto Reference Library's Appel Salon.

As a distinguished professor of journalism at Columbia University and former foreign correspondent who has reported from across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, Howard French brings unparalleled insight into one of history's most transformative yet overlooked periods: the moment when African decolonization and the American civil rights movement converged to reshape global politics.

In his groundbreaking book The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide, French recovers a crucial chapter of the 1960s, a time when Pan-Africanism and anti-colonial movements across the Global South forged powerful alliances with Black Americans fighting for civil rights. This was an era of extraordinary possibility, when newly independent African nations and emboldened activists imagined a world freed from racial hierarchy and imperial domination. Yet this "high tide" of global Blackness was systematically undermined by Western powers that destabilized African democracies and severed emerging transnational solidarities.

As we witness renewed authoritarian interventions in African politics, the resurgence of great power competition, and ongoing struggles for racial justice worldwide, French's work offers vital perspective on the continuities between past and present. How do the unfinished projects of decolonization and civil rights shape contemporary movements for democracy and equality? What can today's activists learn from the strategies, and the betrayals, of this pivotal moment? How might we reclaim the radical vision of solidarity that once connected liberation struggles across continents?

Drawing from meticulous research and decades of frontline reporting, French illuminates how understanding this hidden history is essential to advancing democracy and justice in our own turbulent era.

Question and answer session and book signing to follow. Books available for purchase.

About this Event's Guests:

Howard W. French

Sanjay Ruparelia

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This event is part of our On Civil Society series, where we host local and international authors, activists and academics in conversation about the most critical topics of our time. Generously supported by the McConnell Foundation and also by Chris M. Reid.

This event is also part of TPL's Black History and Culture Series.

Presenting Sponsor of Heritage Programs: TD Bank Group, through the TD Ready Commitment.

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About the series:

On the Frontlines of Democracy is a public lecture series to analyze the trajectory of democracy in the twenty-first century.

In every region, the prospects of democracy face serious challenges, old and new. Can we protect constitutional rights and renew collective self-rule in an era of popular mistrust, severe partisanship and resurgent nationalism? Can they reduce inequalities of power, wealth and status, defend deep diversity and confront climate change in the new digital age? Can we develop innovative strategies to revitalize civic engagement, empower public institutions and resist autocratic threats? And what can we offer, learn and do to promote the prospects of democracy in our increasingly post-western global order?

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PLAN YOUR VISIT:

Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), 2nd floor

Time: Doors open 6:00 pm, Event starts 7 pm.

Tickets: Free registration required.

Ticket policy: Tickets guaranteed until 6:50 pm, after which rush line admission begins. Seating first come, first served.

TPL is committed to accessibility. If you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation for this event, please contact [email protected] or 416-393-7099 at least three weeks prior to the event.

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